Materials handling apparatus



14. 1 5 c. N. BEBINGER MATERIALS HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 12, 1952 INVENTOR:

CHA LES N. BE INGER I/NM ATTORN EY 4, 1956 c. N. BEBINGER MATERIALS HANDLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1952 mvzn'rom CHA LES N. BEBINGER ATTORNEY United States Patent MATERIALS HANDLING APPARATUS Charles N. Bebinger, New Philadelphia, Ohio, assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a cor poration of Pennsylvania Application August 12, 1952, Serial No. 303,979

11 Claims. (Cl. 198-75) This invention relates to materials handling apparatus, especially to apparatus of the shaker conveyor type.

In the stock piling of minerals, ores, and the like for storage purposes, some inconvenience is often experienced due to the tendency of the stored substances to stack up vertically instead of flowing more freely along the surface. A result of this tendency is the production of a rather tall or high pile of material having a limited base and therefore a very limited volume, with the further result that large quantities of the stored material cannot readily be stored from one discharge point of the handling apparatus. Consequently, the handling apparatus must be moved about quite frequently in order to accomplish the storage of large quantities of material.

It is an object of this invention to provide materials handling apparatus which will permit the stock piling of tremendous quantities of material with infrequent changes of the main line conveyor system, such changes occasioning temporary shutdowns in some portions of the supply and storage system, and consuming many manhours of time. The stated object, and other objects, are accomplished by means of materials handling apparatus having a main line conveyor system in which material is easily discharged at any point along the line of the main conveyor, and is furthermore readily discharged at points spaced from either side of the main line with very small changes in the equipment or apparatus.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of apparatus made according to this invention, this figure being shown as cut down in length and in height to save room on the paper.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation view of one portion of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a view in section substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a view in section substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of certain portions of the invention, being principally a plan view of the drive mechanism for the secondary conveyor and associated linkage; and

Fig. 6 is an end elevation view on a smaller scale, indicating schematically one application of the invention to an actual stock piling operation.

Fig. 1 shows a large area, preferably and usually an outdoor area, having a ground surface 2 and being adaptable for the storage of large quantities of material which may be minerals, ores, or the like. A trestle indicated generally at 4 is erected on the ground surface 2 to any desired elevation, and provides support means for a main conveyor which moves the material along a main direction of material flow, this main direction of material fiow being indicated by the two-headed arrow 6 and being represented in effect by the long axis of the trestle 4.

The main conveyor comprises a main conveyor element 8 and its roller supports 10, the roller supports 10 being conventional and being mounted in any suitable manner "ice on the trestle 4. The main conveyor also includes drive means for the element 8, such as the drive means shown generally at 12.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the conveyor element 8 is preferably a flexible element such as a steel belt, and in this embodiment the drive means must include tension means for the flexible element 8 because the element 8 cannot be subjected to compression. Such tension means can be any suitable resilient means such as the springs 14 connected to oppose the pull of the drive unit 16. A flexible steel (or other material) belt shaker conveyor of the type referred to is not per se the subject of this invention, but is disclosed in detail and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 201,892, filed December 21, 1950, and assigned to the assignee of this invention, now abandoned. Reference will therefore be had to the above-identified application for a detailed discussion of the structure and functioning of the drive unit 16.

A secondary conveyor element 18 is disposed across the main conveyor element 8 in position to receive material from the main conveyor element. In the specific embodiment shown, means 20 are provided to transfer material from the main conveyor element 8 to the secondary or second conveyor element 18, the transfer means 20 comprising preferably a trough of heavier material than the flexible element 8 and therefore being more nearly rigid, the trough being inclined and being secured at one end 22 in any suitable manner to the main conveyor element 8. At its other end, the transfer means 20 is provided with a substantially horizontal portion 24 which overhangs the secondary element 18 and is thus adapted to discharge material into element 18.

Means are provided to support the secondary conveyor element for shaker movement in a direction across said main direction 6, these means being shown generally at 26. Support means 26 are provided with rollers 28 in any suitable size and number, rollers 28 being held in brackets 30 which are in turn supported by frame channel members 32. Channel members 32 form part of side frame members 34 of a carriage which is provided with wheels 35 adapted to run on a track 36, track 36 being supported in any suitable manner on the trestle 4 and being substantially parallel to the direction 6.

The transfer means 20 is supported on the secondary support 26 in such a way as to permit shaker movement of transfer means 20, this being provided by the sideward extending projections 38 on the transfer means 20 cooperating in guides 40 carried by the secondary support 26.

Means are provided to drive the secondary conveyor element 18 directly from the main conveyor element 8, these means being shown in considerable detail in Figs. 4 and 5. The secondary conveyor element drive means include a pair of opposed shaker drivers 41 and 42, the shaker drivers 41 and 42 being preferably rocker arms each of which has one inward extending arm 44 or 45 and another arm 46 or 47 disposed preferably substantially at right angles to the associated inwardly extending arm, pivot means 48 being provided substantially at the point of intersection of the two arms. The pivot means 48 consists of a pivot pin 50 having a fixed orientation (i. e., fixed with respect to secondary support 26) by means of brackets 52 extending outward from the side frame members 34.

A driven member 54 is connected to be driven from and by the main conveyor element 8 by the connection indicated generally at 56 and comprising a pair of spaced ears 58, a bearing 60 secured to the driven membr 54, and a pin 62 passing through the ears 58 and the bearing 60. Links 64 and 66 are connected at one end to the driven member 54 bymeans of a pin 68, and at the opposite-end are connected to arms 44 and 45 respectively of the rocker arms 41 and 42.

Means are provided selectively to connect one of the shaker drivers 41 or 42 with the secondary conveyor element--18. Thesemeans consist of a pair-of-links *70 and 72 pivotally secured at one end to thesecondary conveyor element 18, as shown at*74,- and'being pivotally mounted attheir other-ends about axes coincident-with the rocking axes-of the associated rocker-arms. ""Thus, the link 70 is pivotally mounted by' virtue of the-pivot means 48 of rocker arm'41, while'the link iZ is-pivotally mounted by virtue of the pivot means 48 of'rocker arm 42. The selective connecting'means are completed by a pin-76 passing through -alined openings in "either arm 46'zand'link 7florarm 47-and-link' 72. Thus,-pin-'76 may be placed in either the alined openings shownet 78 or thealined-openings shown at 80in order to connect the secondary conveyorelement '18 with the drive means to convey material-to adischarge-point ata selected side of themain conveyorelement.

More specifically; the-secondary conveyor element has ends 82 and 84 which serve as alternate dischargepoints for the secondary-conveyor element 18,- either of which can-be selected by-placingpin- 76-inthe appropriate location. As seen in Fig-*6, the discharge point" 82 is spaced from'the-main conveyorelementS asubstantial distance and to-the-lefttherefrom while thedischargepoint 84 is disposed the same substantialdistance to the right of the main'conveyor element8. Still-another, or a third, discharge point may be-provided' between the points 82 and-84 by removing a readily removable section-86 from the secondary conveyor element 18. The removable section 86 is simply a readily removable floor plate provided in the conveyor trough substantially midway between the ends-82 and 84in order to permit discharge directly from the'main conveyorelement instead of to one: side or the other thereof.

'It was pointed out'above that, in its preferred form, this: invention is practiced with a flexible 'elementfor themain conveyor element 8, as disclosed in my aboveidentified' application. The drive unit 16 maybe readily adjusted,--as willbeunderstood by those skilled in the art,:to move material either way along'the main-direction 6 of material flow. *As shown in my above-identified application, the drive-unit end of flexible element 8 is the discharge endywhereas in theembodiment shown In this application,- the drive unit-end is the-loading end. Itvwill -thus-be understood that material -rnaybe" conveyed either-way, andthat'the flexible element-'8 will'be pulled one-way by the drive-unit 16 and "the other way by-the resilient means 14 connected to'oppose-movem-ent by thedrive unit 16. Thus; the resilient meansor springs 14 store up energy as the flexible element 8 is pulled to the right as seenin-Fig. l, and releasethat energyto pull the fle'xible element--8 to the left. It will of course also be understood that, because of the flexibility of the-- element-8,'the drive unit 16'must'provide a constant bias toward the right in order to maintain a minimum tension in the'flexible element 8.

More specifically, the pull toward the-right exerted by the drive unit 16 'isopposed by compression of the springs 14,,springs 14 being compressed between spring seats 88- and 90, spring seats 88' being associated with therocker arms 41' andr42 while spring, seats 90-- are associated with the secondary support 26 by means of brackets 92' secured to 'the side .frame members 34. Spring seats 88 are provided on members 94' hinged to their respective rocker arms at 96. Spring seats 90 are provided on members 98 having threaded engagement with brackets. 92 by: meansjof the threaded extensions 100. Lock nuts 102. hold thetthreaded-rnembers 100 ,in a preselected orientation with respect to brackets '92. Members 94and'98ihave telescoping relation with-each other, as will, be. understoodby. those skilled in the, art, and pass through the centers of springs 14.

-Means are provided to locate the movable support 26 at any desired point along the track 36. To this end, a cable or other flexible element 104 is secured to the outermost end of the secondary support 26. An idler pulley 106 is provided at the outermost end of trestle 4, and cable 104-=,wraps-around idler pulley or sheave 106 and extends back toward the loading point, where the cable is secured by a reel' dtl8-and any suitable winding device such as a hydraulic winch indicated generally at 110. -Winch..110 is. suitably secured to a sub-base 112 of the trestle 4,.sub-base ll2 providing a mounting platform for both the drive unit 16 and the winch 110.

The secondary conveyorelement18 should be provided at some convenient location with an index line and cooperating register point to enable an operator to determine when the proper balance is obtained between the compression in springsv 14 and .thetension in belt or flexible element 8. To that end, I-have provided anlindexrlinelas shown at 114 in Fig. 6, line'114'being over :thecenter of the roller 28 on that side when the proper balance exists between the tension .in the belt Ssrand theeompression in springs 14, with the belt8 just ready to. begin its working stroke.

Operation vMaterial'to be stock piled is-discharged onto the main conveyor element 8 at some. point to the left of-the. drive unit-.16;as-..seen inFig. l. The shaker conveyor-action moves the-material leftward until it reaches the inclined transfer means 20. -At this point, material movesmpward .alongkthe transfer .means and dumps onto :the secondary. conveyor element 18. If the :removable floor section; 86 is not in place, the material falls .straight downfthrough the openingyprovidedand formsa pile shown at Ain Fig. 6. With the pin -76 in rthe opening 7810 connect rocker arm -41 and'link 70, vmaterial will discharge fromithe' discharge point '82 and form :the pi-le shownatBof Fig. 6. Conversely, with pin 78 disposed in theopening- SO, the material .will discharge from the discharge point184 to'form the pile shown at C-of'Figo6.

Ini'the actual use. of this invention, it would probably be=advisableifirstto lay down a stockpile of. material directly beneath the trestle 4 and throughout the. length thereof. This would of course be accomplished with the.-.-floor;;plate::86 removed to permit the materialto dumpnstraight through. For this operation, "thepin 76 shouldbewleft out entirely-in order-to permit the-material to drop through the secondary conveying element ;.18 without interference.

Material would be stock piled according .totthe requirementsbf the particular situation, but one suggested system is to dump the material close to the loading;poin ti. enclose to the right end-oftrestle 4--at..the OUtSQtgfiIld move the mobile support 26 to the left as the storagetspace beneath theltrestel fills up.

,wMobile support 26 is moved-leftward as-seen-in Fig. 1 by. rcleasing-the'tension on the steel belt 8 in the manner set forth in my above-identified application,; and; by simul- .taneously reeling .in on. cable 104 by=means of hydraulic winch 1*10. |-In:this1manner, 'mobilezsupport 26 ismoved out (leftward as seenin Fig. 1) as the storage space beneath the trestle :fills up.

"-When' a pilehas accumulatedbeneath the 'trestleand the lengththereof, mobile support 26 is movedback to the starting position by paying out cable ,from' the' reel 108 controlled by hydraulic winch 110, and by reeling in steel belt' 8 as provided in the above-identified application, until the-mobile support 26-isagain at, the starting-point. The removable .floor plate 86 is thereupon .securedin place pin 5761's securedjntheiopening 78 (Fig. 5).and the apparatus .is.in -condition to. discharge material to. tbe pile B shown in Fig.6.

-As :the steel belt-8 moves through its; shaker movement, the connection 58 imparts a similar movement to the driven member 54. Driven member 54 operates rocker arms 41 and 42 through the links 64 and 66 respectively by means of the pin connection 68.

With the pin 76 disposed in the opening 78, only the rocker arm 41 controls the movement of secondary conveyor element 18. As the rocker arm 41 rocks counterclockwise, link 70, which is pinned to the arm 46, also rocks counter-clockwise. Conversely of course, clockwise movement of rocker arm 41 moves the link 70 clockwise.

Thus the link 70 oscillates about the pivot 48 along with the rocker arm 41. Inasmuch as material is being conveyed leftward as seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the movement to the right of steel belt 8 is the quick-return stroke, and the movement to the left is the working stroke or conveying stroke. Under the circumstances, counterclockwise pivoting of rocker arm 41 and link 70 is the quick-return stroke, whereas clockwise pivoting constitutes the working or conveying stroke. Thus, material is conveyed along secondary conveyor element 18 upward as seen in Fig. 5, and to the left as seen in Fig. 6, namely off the discharge point 82 onto the pile B shown in Fig. 6.

The operation of the apparatus to discharge material onto the pile C shown in Fig. 6 will be readily understood from the foregoing by those skilled in the art and need not be detailed here.

It will be evident from the foregoing that I have here provided materials handling apparatus which permits the ready stock piling of material on a large .area with a minimum of inconvenience and labor, and by means of relatively simple structure. Other advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

While there is in this application specifically described one form which the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this form of the same is shown for purposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified and embodied in various other forms without departing from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Materials handling apparatus comprising a main conveyor element to move material along a main direction of material flow, means to support the main conveyor element for shaker movement in said direction, drive means connected to impart a shaker motion to the main conveyor element, a secondary conveyor element disposed across the main conveyor element in position to receive material therefrom and having ends spaced from the opposite sides of the main conveyor element, said ends constituting alternate material discharge points, means to support the secondary conveyor element for shaker movement in a direction across said main direction, drive means for the secondary conveyor element, means connecting the secondary conveyor element drive means with the main conveyor element, and means selectively to connect the secondary conveyor element with the drive means to convey material to a discharge point at a selected side of the main conveyor element.

2. Materials handling apparatus comprising a main shaker conveyor element to move material along a main direction of material flow, means to support the main conveyor element for shaker movement in said direction, drive means connected to impart a shaker motion to said element and including powered means to move the element one way in said direction, a secondary conveyor element disposed across the main conveyor element and having ends spaced from the opposite sides of the main conveyor element, said ends constituting alternate material discharge points, means to transfer material from the main conveyor element to the secondary conveyor element at a point between said ends, means to support the secondary conveyor element for shaker movement in a direction across said main direction, drive means for the secondary conveyor element, means connecting the secondary conveyor element drive means with the main conveyor element, resilient means associated with the secondary conveyor element drive means and connected material flow, means to support the main conveyor element for shaker movement in said direction, drive means connected to impart a shaker motion to the main conveyor element, a secondary conveyor element disposed across the main conveyor element in position to receive material therefrom and having ends spaced from the opposite sides of the main conveyor element, said ends constituting alternate material discharge points, a track adjacent the main conveyor element support means and substantially parallel to said main direction, means movably to support the secondary conveyor element on the track and for shaker movement in a direction across the track, drive means for the secondary conveyor element, means connecting the secondary conveyor element drive means with the main conveyor element, and means selectively to connect the secondary conveyor element with the drive means to convey material to a discharge point at a selected side of the main conveyor element.

4. Materials handling apparatus comprising a main shaker conveyor element to move material along a main direction of material flow, means to support said element for shaker movement in said direction, a track adjacent said support means and substantially parallel to said direction, a secondary conveyor element disposed across the main conveyor element and positioned to receive material therefrom and having ends spaced from the opposite sides of the main conveyor element, said ends constituting alternate material discharge points, means movable along the track to support the secondary conveyor element for shaker movement in a direction across the track, means to locate the movable means at a selected point along the track, drive means connected to impart a shaker motion to the main conveyor element, drive means for the secondary conveyor element and connected to the movable means, means connecting the secondary conveyor element drive means with the main conveyor element, and means selectively to connect the secondary conveyor element with its drive means whereby shaker movement of the main conveyor element imparts shaker movement to the secondary conveyor element to convey the material to a discharge point at a selected side of the main conveyor element.

5. Materials handling apparatus comprising a flexible element to move material along a main direction of material flow, means to support said element for shaker movement in said direction, a track adjacent the support means and substantially parallel to said direction, a second conveyor element disposed across the first-named element and positioned to receive material therefrom, means movable along the track to support the second conveyor element for shaker movement in a direction across the track, powered reciprocating means connected to move the flexible element one way in said direction and constantly biasing the flexible element said one way, drive means for the second conveyor element connected to be driven by the flexible element, resilient means connected to the movable means and to said drive means to oppose movement of the flexible means by the powered reciprocating means, and power operated means connected to move the movable means along the track by exerting a force in opposition to the bias exerted by the resilient means.

6. Materials handling apparatus comprising a flexible element to move material along a main direction of material flow, means to support said element for shaker movement in said direction, a track adjacent the support means and substantially parallel to said direction, a second conveyor felem'ent dis psedfacross:theffifst-named'elernent rand h vin'gfends'". spa; d'ffi'omf the opposite" sidesrofthee flkifile'ielement; saidends constitiltingalternatematerial-* discharge oints;- Ineans-to transfer material from the flexible elementrto the second"conveyorielement, means mevabl'e along "the track to "support these'cond conveyor element. for shaker movement in a directidn'taeross'"the track, owered "reciprocating, means'connetedtoi"move the flexible element one v way irrsaid' direc'ticin'andi con= means for the second "conveyor"elmefif"connected'to be driven by the flexible element means selectivelymvcone nect "the second conveyor element wifn'f'thedrive me'ansr to" convey material to a discharge oineat a'rsel'eeted isid of the flexible element; resilient-means connected "to the movable means: and to saiddriV'nfeans to "oppose move ment. of" the flexible means by "the 'powered' 'reeiprocating means; flexible element meansconnected im'm'o've i-the" movable means along the track; sai'dmeans "being'eom nected in, tension 'tooppose the bias 'efihe resilient means,

and power operated "means to control the flexible'elenlenf means.

7'." An auxiliary for a shaker conveyor comprisinga" support, a conveyor eI'ementmour'itdj'on the support for movement through a conveying ,"strolee and a quick-return stroke; a pair of opposed shaker drivers, a"driv'e'n member connected to operate the opposed "shaker drivers forone stroke, resilient means connected to store energyduring, said one strokeahd to release it forthe other stroke and' thus"tooperate the opposed shaker drivers for the other stroke," and "means selectively to connect'one of the opposed shaker dtiv'ers to'the conveyor element.

8." An auxiliary as in claim 7,' in' which the shaker drivers are .rocker arms of'which one arm of each is connected "to saiddr iv'enm'ember.

support,- a length of conveyorpan mounted-on the-support-for movement- 'through a conveying stroke --and--a quick-return stroke,- a pair-of opposed'pivotall y mounted rocker'arms; a'member connectedto be driven by the aforesaid 'shaker-conveyorand linked to rock therocker arms through one :"stroke; resilient means con-nected to" the' rocker arms to store'energy during rocker arm movement" through said one stroke and to give up the "stered energy to "operate the rockerarms 'thiou'gw'th'e other stroke; and means'selectively to connect one of-the'rocker arms with the length of conveyor pan.

11. auxiliary-asinclaimdO, in which th'e-last-named meansincludes a pair oflinks each of which: is connectedat-"one'end' with'the-pan and atits other end to v oscillate'about the rocking axis of one-ofithe-rocker-anns,- and a pin adapted to engage a selected link'with one armof its associated rocker arm.-

References *Citedin the file of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS 513,785 Hassell Jan: 30, 1894 I 1,322,469 R oss- ..N0v. 18, 1919 2,379,837 Be rgmann June 26, 1945 sweeten; Aug. 10; 1948 26351737 Garnett Apr.-"21," 1953 

